PAR-27-021-Full-Announcement.html

Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.

Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS)

Funding Opportunity Title

Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Activity Code

S10 Biomedical Research Support Shared Instrumentation Grants

Announcement Type

New

Related Notices

Check for any recent Notices of NIH Policy Changes that may impact application requirements.

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

PAR-27-021

Companion Funding Opportunity

PAR-27-022

, S10 Biomedical Research Support Shared Instrumentation Grants

Number of Applications

See Part 2, Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Assistance Listing Number(s)

93.351, 93.855, 93.310, 93.866

Funding Opportunity Purpose

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to build new research capacity and develop a sustainable research program by supporting the purchase of a single commercially available biomedical research instrument currently unavailable in the institution. Instruments funded through this program must be shared among the users to create new research opportunities, enable reproducible data generation, encourage collaborative research and training, and strengthen long-term research capabilities. The minimum award is $50,000. While there is no limit on the total cost of the instrument, the maximum award is $400,000.

Funding Opportunity Goal(s)

The Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) is a program office in the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) dedicated to supporting research infrastructure and related research resource programs. ORIP consists of the Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) and the Division of Construction and Instruments (DCI).

Key Dates

Posted Date

June 25, 2026

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

July 25, 2026

September 25, 2026

September 25, 2026

Not Applicable

July 2027

July 01, 2027

July 01, 2027

Not Applicable

May 2028

July 01, 2028

July 01, 2028

Not Applicable

May 2029

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

Expiration Date

July 02, 2028

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.

Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information Key Dates Part 2. Full Text of Announcement Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Information Section V. Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

Through the Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program, NIH supports the purchase of a single commercialized research instrument that is currently unavailable to the applicant institutions. Like a seed, the instruments are expected to help promote new research opportunities, expand existing research capabilities, foster collaboration and training, and support the growth of future research activities.

Modern research instruments are essential for generating high quality and reproducible data that drive innovations in biomedical and biobehavioral research in all institutions, including low-resource ones. Instruments funded through this program will be shared among users to promote cost-effective research for reproducible biomedical data generation. Hence, the instrument is expected to be placed in a safe and accessible shared resource to maximize collaboration. This NOFO encourages different outcomes based on institutional type: (i) For research-intensive institutions, emphasis is placed on acquiring new or emerging technologies that enable innovative and novel research; and (ii) For low-resource institutions (e.g., R15-eligible institutions that have not received more than $6 million per year in NIH funding in 4 of the last 7 federal fiscal years), the focus is on building foundational research capacity, expanding the biomedical research workforce, and supporting sustainable, long-term research programs. Institutions applying under this category will clearly justify their low-resource status in the application.

Eligible instruments include, but are not limited to, mass spectrometers, cell sorters, bioimagers, DNA and protein sequencers, light microscopes, 3D printers, and high-performance computers. Applications for general purpose computer systems (computer clusters and data storage systems) will only be considered if the system is solely dedicated to biomedical research.

Foreign-made instruments are allowed. However, the reasons for choosing foreign-made instruments over domestically manufactured instruments will be justified. NIH urges that every effort should be made to give preference to domestically manufactured instruments to the maximum extent possible. Additionally, requesting funds towards purchasing an instrument under a lease agreement is strongly discouraged.

Program Specifications Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI): Each applicant institution will propose a PD/PI who can assume administrative and scientific oversight responsibility for the requested instrument. The PD/PI will also be responsible for:

Advisory Committee: An Advisory Committee will be named to assist the PD/PI in administering the grant, overseeing the usage of the instrument, and advising on expanding the user base. The PD/PI and the Advisory Committee should convene regular meetings and issue annual reports on the instrument status, including their recommendations for the instrument operations and plans for a growing user base. For details on the composition of the Advisory Committee, see Section IV.2 under "Administration." The PD/PI and the Advisory Committee are responsible for the development of guidelines for:

Applications Not Responsive to this NOFO The following types of applications are not responsive to this NOFO and will not be reviewed:

Applications proposing such requests will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed or considered for funding.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed

New

Resubmission

The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.

Clinical Trial?

Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials. Note: Applications may propose activities involving human subjects that are not deemed clinical trials.

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Award Budget

Applications will be accepted that request a single, commercially available instrument. The minimum award is $50,000. There is no upper limit on the cost of the instrument, but the maximum award is $400,000. S10 awards do not allow indirect costs.

Award Project Period

Awards are made for one year only.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Organizations

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

For-Profit Organizations

Local Governments

Federal Governments

Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government

U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

Independent School Districts

Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities

Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

Faith-based or Community-based Organizations

Regional Organizations

Foreign Organizations/Foreign Collaborations

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant Organizations Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information System for Award Management (SAM) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code. Foreign organizations must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

All PD(s)/PI(s) must be registered with ORCID. The personal profile associated with the PD(s)/PI(s) eRA Commons account must be linked to a valid ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the How to Apply - Application Guide.

2. Cost Sharing This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit only one application, provided that the type of instrument does not currently exist in the applicant organization (identified by UEI).

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time, per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the NIH will not accept:

Minimal User Requirement: A minimum of two NIH-funded users must be identified, with at least one of the NIH-funded users must be from the applicant institution. NIH-funded users from other institutions are highly encouraged. Each of the NIH funded users must be a PD/PI on a distinct active NIH award (i.e., a grant or a cooperative agreement). An award given to multi-PDs/PIs is counted only once towards the fulfillment of this requirement. Users with funding from sources such as other Federal agencies, private foundations, or academic institutions are eligible to use the instrument. To justify the requested instrument, the projects supported by NIH research awards should together have a preponderant use of the instrument. While training, curricular instructions, or other non-biomedical research activities may be supported by the instrument, for-profit activities or billable clinical care are not allowed to use the instrument.

Note: The SIS S10 Program is intended to promote innovation and foster sustainable research programs at applicant institutions. Institutions that focus primarily on development rather than research or short-term awards, such as an SBIR/STTR grant, do not directly align with the goal of developing a sustainable research program and may be incompatible or less competitive for this program.

Quote: An itemized quote from the vendor with appropriate academic discounts and warranty terms (specified directly in the quote) is required and must be included in the application.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise (in this NOFO, in a policy notice, or other notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Page Limitations All page limitations described in the How to Apply – Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Note: Letters of Support and Bibliography & References Cited Section are not included in the page limitations.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply – Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

SF424(R&R) Cover All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

Descriptive Title: Enter the generic name of the instrument requested in the title (for example, Spinning Disk Confocal Microscope).

Proposed Project: CY 2026 submission: enter start date 05/01/2027 and end date 04/30/2028; CY 2027 submission: enter start date 05/01/2028 and end date 04/30/2029; CY 2028 submission: enter start date 05/01/2029 and end date 04/30/2030.

Estimated Project Funding: Total Federal Funds Requested: Enter the total Federal funds for the requested instrument. This entry cannot exceed $400,000 which is the maximum award under the Program. If the cost of the instrument is more than $400,000, enter $400,000.

Total Non-Federal Funds: If Total Federal Funds Requested (described immediately above) and Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds (described immediately below) are not the same, enter the difference in this line. Explain how the difference will be paid in the Equipment section on the SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information form (described below).

Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds: Enter the total cost of the instrument from the quote.

Program Income: Enter zero as this does not apply to the Program.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

SF424(R&R) Other Project Information

For specific instructions, please visit the ORIP S10 FAQ page at https://orip.nih.gov/division-construction-instruments/s10-instrumentation-programs/frequently-asked-questions.

Project Summary/Abstract: The Project Summary/Abstract should contain a succinct and accurate description of the requested instrument and an explanation of the need for the instrument to advance research projects of the Users. The application's broad, long-term objectives should be stated, concisely describing how access to the instrument will support the research projects.

Project Narrative: Using no more than three sentences of plain language, describe the relevance of this research to public health.

Bibliography & References Cited: List only publications that demonstrate the researchers' expertise in operation and usage of the requested instrument or that are relevant to research projects which will be supported by the instrument. References to the Research Projects Section may appear in this section or may be listed at the end of individual research subsections.

Facilities & Other Resources: Not Applicable. Do not include an attachment here.

Equipment: Describe the requested instrument by stating its manufacturer, model number, specific features, and accessories. Provide a detailed budget breakdown of the main instrument and requested accessories, including tax and import duties (tariffs), if applicable. An itemized quote from the vendor, with appropriate discounts and warranty terms, is required. The quote must be unaltered and combined in a single attachment with the equipment description as part of this upload. As described above in SF424 Cover form, include an explanation of Total Non-Federal Funds in this section (if applicable).

Applications without a valid quote will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn from review.

If human, animal, or infectious materials, which could create a potential biohazard, are to be analyzed, funds for accessory containment equipment for the instrument may be requested in the budget.

Do not describe the need for the instrument or accessories in this section; such narrative should be a part of the Justification of Need section of the Instrumentation Plan.

Other Attachments:

I) Instrumentation Plan (in lieu of Research Plan form) The entire Instrumentation Plan (with the sections described below) must be saved as a single PDF file - named Instrumentation Plan - and attached via Other Attachments. Organize the sections of the Instrumentation Plan in the specified order as described below, starting each section with the appropriate section heading (i.e., Justification of Need, Technical Expertise, Research Projects, etc.). Do not include links to websites for further information. Do not include animations/videos.

Justify the need for software, if applicable. Software supported by this program must be critical to the operation of the instrument or necessary for generation of high-quality data. Stand-alone workstations, duplicate software items, and software licenses are not allowed.

Preliminary data is not required, though if access to a demo instrument is practical, it can be included to justify the choice of the instrument.

Requesting instruments under a lease agreement is strongly discouraged, consulting the Scientific/Research contact is strongly recommended.

Technical Expertise: Describe the technical expertise of individuals who will set up and run the instrument. Specify who will ensure that the instrument is safely operated and appropriately maintained. State training plan, who and how will train new users. If the instrument requires complex sample preparation or consultation for experimental designs, describe the expert individuals who will serve in that capacity. Address technical support for data collection, management, and analysis.

If an innovative instrument providing new research capabilities is requested, demonstrate the special technical expertise needed for increasing its adoption in biomedical research. Describe training for the investigators on using the novel technology to advance their research.

Next, insert the following columns into the summary tables (a sample summary table is available at ORIP S10 FAQ page): User's name, grant number (for NIH awards, list the grant numbers such as R01CA123456), brief title of the project, grant start and end dates, and estimated usage in annual hours. If there are multiple users funded by the same grant, list the total of their estimated usage in annual hours for projects supported by that grant.

Following the tables, state the total estimated usage time by all users' projects in annual hours, and the percentage of the estimated usage time devoted to all NIH-funded projects.

Administration (Organizational/Management Plan): Describe the organizational plan to administer the grant. Describe where the instrument will be located, how it will be utilized, how requests to use the instrument will be made, how time will be allocated among users, how other projects and new users will be enlisted. Describe how expertise will be sustained and users will be trained in experimental design, instrument operation and data analysis. Describe typical day-by-day management of the instrument. If the plans are to install the instrument in a setting other than a core or a shared resource facility, describe the procedures that will implement and assure broad access to the instrument and its use on a shared basis.

List the names and titles of the members of the local Advisory Committee. The membership of this Committee should represent the interests of different users and should include non-user members to avoid conflicts of interest who can resolve disputes if they arise. The membership of this Committee should include at least one senior institutional official who will represent the financial commitment of the institution. It is recommended that the Advisory Committee includes at least 4 members. The PD/PI cannot serve as the Chairperson or a voting member of the Committee. Users of the instrument may be members, but none should be the Chairperson.

The PD/PI and the Advisory Committee should convene meetings and prepare annual reports on the instrument status. The reports will become part of the Final Research Performance Progress Report (Final RPPR) and the Annual Usage Reports (AUR) (see Section VI.4).

Provide a plan about how the Users will be instructed and reminded about citing the S10 award in their publications and how their compliance will be verified.

Describe a plan for managing access to the instrument if users' projects involve human subjects, vertebrate animals, or biohazards such as infectious materials.

Financial Plan: Submit a specific financial plan for the long-term operation and maintenance of the instrument as such costs are not supported by the S10 Program. Explain how various operational costs will be met; specifically, costs associated with routine operation and maintenance of the instrument, and costs for support personnel. Enumerate the sources of income such as charge back fee structure, grants, or institutional support. The financial plan must include a table for years 1-5 of operation. For year 1, although the maintenance costs are fully covered by a one-year manufacturer warranty, enter anticipated expenditures and anticipated income, showing how these estimates were derived. For years 2-5, approximate amounts, based on data for year 1, must be considered in the financial plan. A description of projected changes to the financial plan over the four years is also needed.

Operation: Include salary support of expert personnel that will operate the instrument and oversee routine care and procedures for standardization.

Maintenance: May include a service contract, or funds for parts and local technical personnel who will maintain the instrument (if such personnel are qualified to do so).

Supplies: Include necessary supplies for operating the instrument such as chemicals, cryogenics, and other expendable items.

Software: Include costs for updates/maintenance of software licenses needed for the proper operation of the instrument or additional software for data analysis.

Anticipated Income: Enumerate the sources of income, such as any charge back fee structure, grants, or institutional support.

II) Letters of Support All letters of support should be combined into a single file named Letters of Support and uploaded as a separate attachment via Other Attachments. This combined file should include, as applicable:

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

Include the profiles of the PD/PI, users, and technical personnel, as applicable.

R&R Budget

R&R Subaward Budget

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

PHS 398 Research Plan All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

Other Plan(s):

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

A Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this NOFO.

Appendix: Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

No publications or other material, with the exception of blank questionnaires or blank surveys, may be included in the Appendix.

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

If you answered "Yes" to the question "Are Human Subjects Involved?" on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

Delayed Onset Study

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start). All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS Assignment Request Form

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) See Part 2. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

4. Submission Dates and Times Part I. contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the How to Apply – Application Guide.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372) This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

6. Funding Restrictions All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 7.9.1 Selected Items of Cost.

Under the S10 mechanism, funding requests are limited to the purchase cost of the instrument only. Support for technical personnel, service contracts, extended warranties, software (except as defined in Part 2, Section I), and supplies are not allowable. Cost sharing toward the purchase of the instrument is not required and any institutional funds contributed to the costs of the purchase of the instrument are voluntary. If the amount of funds requested does not cover the total cost of the instrument, the application should describe the proposed source(s) of funding to cover the balance of the cost of the instrument and document their availability in a letter signed by an appropriate institutional official. Note that any voluntarily committed cost will be noted in the Notice of the Award and the institution will be held to the commitment and reporting requirements.

This Program does not provide indirect costs or support for construction, alterations, or renovations. Commitment of an appropriate level of institutional support, to ensure the associated sustaining infrastructure, is expected and should be described. The appropriate Grant will be awarded for a period of one year and is not renewable.

Applicants proposing the purchase of an instrument that the institution is planning to lease prior to an award are required to consult with their institutional sponsored projects office and the NIH Grant Management Office (see Section VII for contact information) regarding the applicable NIH policy prior to executing the leasing agreement. If the leasing agreement was executed prior to submission of the application, the applicant must provide a strong justification for the requested Federal funds, including the adjustments to depreciation. This justification must demonstrate that the leased instrument is considered state-of-the-art at the time of submission. Execution of a purchase order or agreement, making a down payment or other formal commitment to purchase the equipment prior to award will automatically eliminate an applicant from eligibility for an award.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the How to Apply - Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply – Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH. See Section III of this NOFO for information on registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization's profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

Mandatory Disclosure

Recipients or subrecipients must submit any information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. See Mandatory Disclosures, 2 CFR 200.113 and NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4.1.35.

Send written disclosures to the NIH Chief Grants Management Officer listed on the Notice of Award for the IC that funded the award and to the HHS Office of Inspector Grant Self Disclosure Program at grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov.

Post Submission Materials Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Justification of Need

Is the need for the instrument clearly and adequately justified? Is the instrument essential and appropriate? Are all specific features, special accessories, and the software configuration of the requested instrument well justified by their need of Major Users? Is Accessible Usage Time (AUT) well defined and explained? Is AUT reasonable for the requested technology/instrument type? Is AUT reasonable in the context of the managerial plan? Justification of selection of the proposed instrument may include, but is not limited to, comparison with other commercially available instruments of similar function. Is a user community that will benefit from the instrument well described? Is the use of the instrument on a shared basis assured?

Technical Expertise

Does the institution have the technical expertise to make effective use of the requested instrument? How well-qualified are the participating investigators or other assigned personnel to operate and maintain the instrument, conduct the projects, and evaluate the research results, including analysis and interpretation of data? Are the plans for new users training well developed? Are the proposed biosafety procedures well described and appropriate? If the application requests leading-edge innovative technology that would introduce novel capabilities to a field of biomedical research, how qualified are the assembled experts in supporting the operations and leading the adoption of such a commercially available instrument?

Research Projects

Will research with the requested instrument advance the knowledge and understanding of the proposed projects? How will the research projects of individual Users be enhanced? Do Users adequately justify the requested instrument, and accessories for the needs of their specific projects? If accessories are requested for the instrument do at least three Major Users require each of the accessories for their research projects? If the application requests leading-edge innovative technology, how will the adoption of these novel capabilities benefit research projects?

Administration

Is the plan for the management and maintenance of the requested instrument appropriate? Are the plans for the use of the instrument on a shared basis well-documented? Are the plans for time allocation of the instrument to different projects well developed? Are the sharing arrangements well justified? If needed, are the policies to manage projects which have human subjects, animals, or biohazards adequate? Is the membership of the Advisory Committee broadly based to oversee the use of the instrument for the appropriate range of biomedical investigators, to balance interests of different users, and to resolve disputes, if they arise? Is the financial plan for the instrument for five years or the expected lifetime of the instrument reasonable and secured, balancing anticipated expenditures and anticipated income? Is the expected usable lifetime of the instrument reasonable? Are adequate plans in place to document the use and scientific benefits of the instrument by citations and acknowledgments of the S10 grant in scientific publications?

Institutional Commitment

Does the institutional commitment letter provide support in the event of a shortfall of income? Is the institutional commitment to the financial plan for maintenance and operations provided for a period consistent with the expected effective lifetime of the requested instrument? Is the management of awarded S10 instruments adequate (based on the data in the table of Previously Awarded S10 Instruments in the institutional Letter of Support)? Does the Institution provide adequate infrastructure support for the requested instrument including space to house the instrument and site for sample preparation, if needed?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

Not Applicable.

Inclusion of Human Subjects Policies

Not Applicable.

Vertebrate Animals

Not Applicable.

Biohazards

Not Applicable.

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions (as applicable), the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Revisions

Not Applicable.

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable.

Select Agent Research

Not Applicable.

Resource Sharing Plans

Not Applicable.

Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources

Not Applicable.

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by CSR, in accordance with NIH peer review policies and practices, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

Applications may undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.5.1. Just-in-Time Procedures.